Evanescent
by albinofrog88
Summary: Used to describe fading and or gradually vanishing from sight. Post rotj. Leia goes through hell. A what if occuring around Endor. Will make more sense later.


**Disclaimer:** That rich dude…whatshisface that just made a ton more money on some little known film…something to do with an "episode 3" or something…I could swear he guest-starred on The OC- yeah well, he owns _everything._ (please don't sue me, your worshipfulness. I only own a lowly watch).

**A/N:** All I can say for this story is, I hope this doesn't give anyone as big a headache as it did for me to come up with at 2 a.m. I swear at one point I thought it'd be a good idea to make Yoda burp out prophecies…needless to say, my imgination runs wild so late at night with so many fanfics to read, and so much homework to procrastinate on.

Part 1

Leia looked over at the man she had only been dating for a month, but now whole-heartedly believed she'd been in love with for four, long, hard years, though she'd never have admitted it before Bespin, and even then probably wouldn't have said anything if he wasn't about to be chronilogically frozen, or killed. He looked so old now- and not because of anything having to do with the number of years he'd managed to live. His body looked worn out, but there was something, something about his eyes that looked-

"Leia? Leia, are you all right?"

"Luke!" She ran over and hugged him tightly. Han glanced over wearily, but she didn't notice; Luke did. She was too happy to have her best friend, nay- her brother- alive, to keep her eyes trained on the crumbling man sitting up in what used to be the bed he and she had shared, before-

But that didn't matter now.

All that mattered was that they were all alive now, safe and sound. Luke's appearance had proven that, and the 'walking carpet' as she now so lovingly called him, sat next to Han on th- Han's bed.

With her arms wrapped tightly around her twin, she felt like she was connected to everything, and indeed, she had to remind herself sometimes through the force, she was. Luke was her other half in everything but heart and body. She had entrusted ownership of those things to her love, Han Solo, and she truly believed her soul belonged entirly between them and Chewbacca. They were her family. They were the ones she would willingly die fighting for.

_You know I've never felt this way before, sweetheart, all this warmth and contentment- all this love, but I truly believe you're the only girl in the universe for me. He moved from the bed, and knelt on one knee beside the bed._

"_Marry me?"_

Leia stifled back a sob, and Luke clutched her more tightly. Behind him, the woman who'd she'd just seen laying sweaty upon her and Han's bed, _next to_ Han (an equally sweaty Han!), looked up.

"I can't equate the innocent, idealistic, rebellious liitle princess I once met with you, you know. I don't understand how that woman could _ever_ accept being second place."

"I'm not second place! I'm not-" Leia cut herself off when her words reached her conciousness. She was not the lost little princess of hollovids, but she was also not 'little', least not in the way this woman had implied.

In fact, Leia couldn't even figure out what had caused her to answer so rashly. She did not have to answer to this woman who'd come out of nowhere. It should be the other way around.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"You already know me…"

_General Rieken stood behind his desk looking down at a picture of a beautiful red-haired girl lying atop piles of such pictures of the dead. Before him stood a less jaded, more innocent Leia waiting to see what the death star's coveted technical read-outs said, "She was the leader of The Red Hand Squadron. Another leader, another death…are you absolutly sure you want to put yourself in this much danger, Princess Organa? There would be little more protection for you, as there was for her, or the other leaders that have died fighting against Palpatine's rule. You are so very young Leia…no one would think of you as cowardly, or vain, if you played a less dangerous role in the rebellion. You could take a break and have a chance at actually experiencing life… You would still be doing a great deal more than every other girl your age, if you resigned yourself to more paperwork, and missions that have higher than a 50 chance of survival. You still have a chance to really live, unlike Captain Tharen."_

"…I thought you should know you're just my replacement, down to being a rebel. And you heard his thoughts…he _loved_ me, he _lived_ with me, he wanted to marry _me_. He hasn't even told you he loved you…not even when he thought he was going to die."

Suddenly, the former rebel leader got up and left the room. Leia didn't know what to do. She couldn't bring herself to leave the safe haven that was Luke's arms, and she couldn't bear to look at the crumbling man on the bed. _Crumbling for Bria_, a traitorous part of her mind said.

She could, however, feel her brother's eyes on Han. He appeareared to be _concerned_ for Han. Stealing a quick look back, she could see Han's face had paled considerably, and his eyes had widened. He stared at the bed in front of him, as if seeing a ghost, and mouthed words she couldn't hear or see.

Against her better judgement, Leia was scared.

"I'm sorry Leia…I didn't understand," Luke said, still with his head tilted towards Han.

"Luke?"

"I really messed up this time…I only saw one future up ahead, or maybe I only allowed myself to see the one- a future in which you married a man you didn't love for the betterment of the galaxy. You were so unhappy…I figured you and Han had burned out, or else- or else he had done something to bring this about, something stupid-" Luke looked really embarressed now, or maybe just ashamed. "And I was just getting over you being my sister, my twin, and…but, I still wanted you to myself…so I did something stupid."

The silence was deafening, and Luke still hadn't taken his eyes off Han. Leia put her hand up to Luke's face, and tilted his chin so he was facing her. His eyes looked at her, but never quite into her own. In them she read guilt, and remorse.

With the wisdom of an older sister- even if it was only by a few minutes- she felt the understanding he needed.

If anyone had threatened her brother's happiness, she too would have overreacted.

"What did you do, Luke?"


End file.
